What began as a routine budget hearing erupted into a heated confrontation on Capitol Hill Tuesday, when Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. accused Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) of being “bought” by the pharmaceutical industry during testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
The hearing, originally scheduled to review the fiscal year 2026 HHS budget, took a sharp turn as Kennedy challenged Pallone over his past support for individuals injured by vaccines—support that Kennedy claimed vanished after the congressman received large campaign contributions.
“I’ll address you, Congressman Pallone,” Kennedy began. “Fifteen years ago, you and I met; you were at that time a champion for people who had suffered injuries from vaccines. You were very adamant about it. You were the leading member of Congress on that issue.”
Then he dropped the bomb: “Since then, you’ve accepted $2 million from pharmaceutical companies in contributions, more than any other member of this committee, and your enthusiasm for supporting the old ACIP committee, which was completely rife and pervasive with pharmaceutical conflicts, seems to…”
At that, Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) interrupted to lodge a formal complaint with the committee leader. “Mr. Chairman, point of order. The gentleman is impugning the reputation of a member of Congress,” DeGette insisted. As the room spiraled into crosstalk, Chairman James Comer (R-KY) told Rep. Pallone, “You weren’t paying attention, that’s why.” Pallone, audibly irritated, fired back, “It’s hard to pay attention here when we’re not getting any response.”
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Eventually, RFK Jr. formally withdrew is remarks but the point was already made and the tension in the room continued. Pallone later fired back, accusing Kennedy of promoting “dangerous” and “unscientific” views on vaccines. He also pressed Kennedy on his decision to dismantle the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the federal panel responsible for providing guidance on vaccine recommendations.
“I do believe the secretary must appear here again very soon for an oversight hearing on the unprecedented and troubling chaos he’s created at the vaccine panel and its impacts on people’s access to life-saving vaccines,” Pallone later said.
